 A man with alleged links to a Pakistani militant group is behind bars in Toronto but accusations that he is a terrorist are little more than hype, according to a security expert. Raja Ghulam Mustafa, 40, was arrested March 16 outside his brother-in-law's house in Newmarket, Ont. where he had been staying, a Sun Media report said. While news reports have allegedly linked Mustafa to al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden through a group known as the Mujahedin-e-Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET), foreign affairs expert Eric Margoles says the Pakistani group has little or no interest in Canada. "It (LET) had nothing to do with terrorism against the west, but it had everything to do with fighting inside of Indian-ruled Kashmir," Margoles told CTV Toronto on Friday.
| "None of our concern," he sniffed. "Just a bunch of South Asians. Let them kill each other, as long as they don't do it here." |
Published reports also said that Canadian border service officers found a packed suitcase and large amounts of money on the man during the March arrest. While searching the house, officers reportedly seized a briefcase with counterfeit documents and a laptop computer.
| They're known as "religious artifacts" in the trade. |
None of these details can be independently confirmed.
| "So it probably didn't happen that way at all." |
When contacted by CTV.ca on Friday, a spokesperson for the border services agency declined comment. "We're not confirming any of the details," Anna Pape said Friday.
Police also arrested Mustafa's brother-in-law, Syed Maqsood Aly, who is not being linked to any militant group but is allegedly facing outstanding charges in the U.S. It is not known if he was arrested at the same time as Mustafa. The pair is being held at the Toronto West Detention Centre on immigration violations.
| "Probably in terrible conditions." |
The men were employed as cab drivers by Mahar Fawagers. He told CTV News that he hired the men eight months ago and they both passed police security checks to get their taxi licenses. "I haven't had any complaints about them," Fawagers said.
| "Except from a few infidels." |
Margoles believes branding the men as terrorists is unfair. "They may have been petty criminals, they may have been involved in visa applications or money laundering, or something like that," Margoles said. "It doesn't mean they're going to plant a bomb in the CN Tower." |